Legends and Lore
by cyanide dragon
Summary: Katara and Zuko's discussion of one famous legend's two interpretations lead to thoughts beyond the story. Postseries zutara oneshot.


Note: Festival? Real. Legend? Real. Avatar not mine. Let's get on with the show!

Legends and Lore

Katara never expected a country obsessed with fire and all things fiery to have a Full Moon Festival. However, being a delegate from the Water Tribes meant "diplomatic", "understanding", and "tolerant", not questioning the cultural eccentricities of the Fire Nation.

* * *

"King Bumi...did I mention to you that this festival is about _celebrating_ the moon?" Zuko tried to ask tactfully. The man had a whole /solar system/ designed around him, not just the moon, for crying out loud. Ignoring the response, the new Fire Lord moved on, now greeting other Fire Nation nobles and important families from all over the world. It was pivotal, he reminded himself, to make a good impression. After a century of war and murderous Fire Nation leaders, Zuko needed as many good diplomatic relations he could get. But the chitchat grew boring, and his mind drifted toward the Moon Festivals of his past, riddled with stories, tea, and moon cakes.

* * *

Again unexpected by Katara, the palace gardens were beautiful. The scene reminded her of tales Gran-Gran would tell of imaginary lands and gods' abodes. Maple trees with brilliant, scarlet, leaves blazed autumn; the ponds with duckturtles and goldkoi, lotus and lilies reflected the autumnal equinox. Important figures drank tea, ate moon cakes (she sent a box with red bean paste filling home to Sokka. He would love them.), played Pai Sho, or simply admired the moon in the sky, glowing so brightly that the lanterns around the area seemed cheap against such natural wonder.

"Bet you don't get a view like this on the icebergs, do you?" came a smug comment. As expected, Zuko. "At least I can enjoy it without thinking about how pathetic I would be in a fight right now." Deafening silence. Katara mentally gloated over her verbal wit. Zuko mentally decided racial slurs wouldn't be a good idea right now, so he began walking farther into the garden. Against her better judgment, Katara followed.

"Despite your mouth, you throw a good party." later commented Katara. He nodded slightly. Was it agreement? Smug acknowledgement? Somewhere near the ponds, soft string music began. "What's that song?" she asked.  
"Old folksong" he said, shrugging, "about Chang Er." "About how she swallowed the immortality medicine?"

"How did you know?" Zuko asked. He had always thought it was an exclusively Fire Nation legend."Everyone knows _that_ story." she said, rolling her eyes. "Her husband Li was the greatest Firebender of all, and he shot his flares like arrows. One day, nine suns stood in the sky and all the water evaporated, leaving all to die"  
"But he shot eight suns down by burning them into cinders with his firebending." continued Zuko. Katara smiled slightly, finding it rather funny that he would know a Water Tribe myth. Following the cadence, she picked up the story.  
"The gods thanked him by giving him two white pills that would grant him immortality. Wanting to eat them at the perfect time, he stowed them away under a section of ice on the roof of his palace."

"No, under a roof tile." Zuko said suddenly, breaking the dual storytelling."It's under a section a ice. I would know"  
"I distinctly remember it being on the roof of his palace. Besides, why would a Firebender have a roof made of _ice?_"  
"Look, that's not the point_ Fire Lord_ Zuko. Anyways--"

"Look_ I'm_ telling it now. So, he hides it underneath a _tile_ on his roof. His waterbending wife Chang Er sees him do it, and, curious, goes up that night to find them."  
"She finds them, and, knowing no better, swallows them. For some reason, she starts feeling lighter. Then"  
"She begins floating up. As she flies into the sky, she sees the moon and anchors herself to it by using ice from her waterbending"  
"And to this day, you can still see Chang Er on the moon" said the two together, like small children reciting a song or poem memorized ages ago, "With her-  
--awl"  
--mortar and pestle."

The two glared at each other.  
"What the hell would she need an awl for?" Zuko snapped.  
"To cut holes into the moon reeds so she can gather the seeds to make more immortality pills, of course! Why would she need a mortar and pestle?" Katara replied indignantly.  
" To grind the ingredients for the immortality pills, of course!" One more glare from Katara silenced him, and the two continued.  
"and the guardian of the Moon, the -- seal"  
--rabbit"

"A RABBIT?" spat Katara. "What do _rabbits_ have _anything_ to do with the moon? Or Waterbending"  
"Because they just does! That's how the legend _goes_!" he retorted.  
"At least we can agree that whatever the tool and whatever the animal, that's why the Moon brings Waterbenders power." Katara said, throwing up her hands in defeat and sitting down onto a nearby stone bench. Irritated, she noticed that the idiot Fire Lord sat down next to her such that they were back to back.

"You know" Katara said softly, "I always wondered if Li missed her. Or if she missed him"  
"He probably didn't. She probably drove him up the wall. Crazy waterbender." he replied, but there was acid in his words.  
"I bet he drove _her_ crazy." Katara smiled a little. "Probably argued all the time"  
"Bet she waterwhipped him"  
"Bet he called her names."

Again a pause. This time, Zuko started.  
"Do you think...they would've worked out? A waterbender and a firebender"  
"Maybe. But it'd be difficult. A lot of differences." Katara shrugged. "Point taken. But if they worked at it"  
"They'd have to be really patient." "It'd be possible"  
"It would be."

Zuko's absentmindedly placed a hand on Katara's hand, and she lazily thought about when she should return to the party and send a letter back home to her tribe while the rest of her mind preoccupied itself with the moon and Chang Er. If she squinted hard enough and turned her head slightly sideways, she could see a mortar, pestle and rabbit (it took a great deal of imagining). She twined her other fingers around Zuko's free hand.

Perhaps later. Much later.

* * *

A/N: All constructive reviews and etc. are welcome.  



End file.
